Stevie Nicks Loves The Weeknd—But Wishes He’d Swear a Little Less

Stevie Nicks, the iconic Fleetwood Mac frontwoman and queen of rock ‘n’ roll mystique, has survived wild decades of fame, fortune, and excess. But if there’s one thing she won’t tolerate, it’s too much swearing—even from an artist she admires as much as The Weeknd.

From Rumours to R&B
Known for her ethereal vocals and timeless hits, Nicks confessed in the 2018 book The 10 Commandments: The Rock Star’s Guide to Life that she’s a big fan of Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd. She regularly spins his records while getting ready or relaxing, calling him “brilliant” and comparing his voice to Steve Winwood’s.

But there’s one thing about The Weeknd’s music that irks her—his frequent cursing.

“You say over and over again words that I would prefer you didn’t say. I think they’re unnecessary,” Nicks said.

A Dirty but Forgivable Offense
Despite her reservations about his explicit lyrics, Nicks admitted she can’t stop listening.

“Even though I think a lot of your songs are super-dirty, I still really like ’em, so I’ve given you a pass on that!”

It seems not even a rock goddess like Nicks can resist Tesfaye’s chart-topping hits like “Blinding Lights” and “Starboy”.

A Clean Request for The Weeknd
While Nicks famously battled addiction and the excesses of rock stardom—once considering thanking her cocaine dealer in the liner notes of Rumours—her aversion to profanity proves she still has limits. Perhaps her advice to The Weeknd is less about judgment and more about refinement: less shock, more soul.

Abel, take note—when Stevie Nicks tells you to clean up your language, you might want to listen.


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